Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Aisin Technical Center of America, Inc.

Eric Jay MacLean

Scott Christopher Sterbenz

Daniel Ferretti

Gary D Mullen

Shintaro Katsura

David Arthur Wade

Timothy James Hallifax

A ventilation system and method of purging volatile organic compounds from an interior space of the vehicle. The ventilation space including an air extractor connected to a vehicle wall and having an interior side within the interior space defined by the vehicle wall, a fan attached to the interior side, and a controller configured to operate in a shipping mode to activate the fan to generate ventilation flow through the air extractor.

Automatic ventilation system and method for purging an interior space of a vehicle during shipping

This disclosure relates to a valve assembly for a motor vehicle, such as a pressure relief valve (i.e., an 'air extractor'), and a method of using the same. In an example, the valve assembly includes a flap moveable to between an open position and a closed position, a slider moveable along an axis and including an integrally formed arm in contact with the flap, and an electromagnet configured to be selectively activated to move the slider along the axis.

Valve assembly controlled by electromagnet

A bicycle derailleur apparatus for controlling bicycle speed includes a bicycle chain guide and a pair of moldable wires. The guide has opposite sides receiving a bicycle chain therebetween and is pivotally movable in a lateral direction toward and away from a bicycle frame portion mounting the guide. The moldable wires, disposed side-by-side and spaced apart, are mounted to the bicycle frame portion and have respective outer end portions attached to one guide side. By applying a predetermined electric current to the moldable wires at separate times their outer end portions deform from pliable states to respective acute and obtuse angular shapes relative to respective main portions thereof and thereby move the guide to shift the bicycle chain into engagement with one or the other of inner and outer derailleur sprocket gears of different diameter sizes to change the bicycle speed relative to the pedal cadence of a rider.

Bicycle derailleur apparatus for controlling bicycle speed

This disclosure relates to a valve assembly for a motor vehicle, such as a pressure relief valve, and a method of using the same. The valve assembly includes a flap moveable to between an open position and a closed position. The valve assembly further includes a pair of shape memory-alloy (SMA) wires configured to move the flap between the open and closed positions. Specifically, the valve includes a first shape-memory alloy wire configured to rebound to a first rebound shape to urge the flap to the open position, and a second shape-memory alloy wire configured to rebound to a second rebound shape to urge the flap to the closed position.

Valve assembly with shape-memory alloy wires and method of using the same

A motor vehicle according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a cargo box, a tailgate moveable relative to the cargo box between an open position and a closed position, and a cable affixed to the cargo box and the tailgate. At least a portion of the cable includes a shape-memory material. Additionally, the motor vehicle includes a controller configured to activate the shape-memory material when the tailgate moves between the open and closed positions. A method is also disclosed.

Shape-memory material providing soft open and closure assistance for tailgate

An air deflector system for a sunroof of a vehicle including an air deflector with holes along the length of the air deflector and having an input port, an air pump connected to the input port, an airspeed sensor, and an air controller configured to control a speed of the air pump based on the airspeed sensor to enable discharge of an air stream through the holes of the air deflector.

Growing community of inventors

Brighton, MI, United States of America

Eric Jay MacLean